I have bought avocados for nacho dip and maybe a salad or two. The problem is that when I buy fruit, I do not always buy them ripe. Therefore, I do not know how long it takes for avocado to ripen. At the same time, I do not want to wait for too long. What are some ways to speed up the ripening process?

3 Answers

You are like so many other people, who like fresh, thick avocados. You want to enjoy the fruit, but you do not want to wait to do so. Now, there is a chance and all you need is a plastic bag and a fresh banana.

Place the avocado in the plastic bag and add in several banana peels. The avocados ripen in half of the usual time it takes. Check the results at least once a day. Take out the avocados to feel for gentle firmness in your palm.

Pickers pick the avocados hard and allow them to ripen later at the grocery store. This way, the fruit retains its freshness for as long as possible. You should be glad that your avocados are not too ripe, so you have more control over the level of freshness.

To ripen the fruit faster, get a tight plastic container, place the avocado inside and seal the top tightly. As the fruit ripens, it releases ethylene gas, which increases the rate of ripening. You could also throw in other fruits that give off this gas, such as apples and bananas.

Follow the same steps if you have a brown paper bag instead. Fold over the top to prevent the gases from seeping out. Whether the fruit is ripe or not, store the bag or container in a dry, dark area.

Put the avocados in the microwave to get instant results. It seems like going the natural route is better, but when you need dip right away, you cannot wait. Dip is the best food for microwave-ripened avocados because you can add other ingredients. Although the fruit is not totally ripe, it is softer and easier to cut into with a knife.

Cook the avocado in the microwave for half a minute. You want to cook in short increments to avoid overcooking. In addition to the microwave, you can use the oven or the stove. Remember that you are not cooking the avocados, only softening them.